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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25747444">The Lakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelwritesometimes/pseuds/rachelwritesometimes'>rachelwritesometimes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Auror Harry Potter, Everyone Is Alive, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Kidnapping, M/M, Manipulation, Mind Games, No Smut, Post-Canon, Pottercest (Harry Potter), Severus Snape Lives, Slash, Slow Burn, snarry, snarry slash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:26:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25747444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelwritesometimes/pseuds/rachelwritesometimes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"You know, you really should listen to that old bat weasley when she tells you not to go out wandering at night. Who knows what could have happened to you if I hadn't found you."</p><p>Harry did not say a word; he thought Snape was on their side, but turns out he'd been fighting for himself the whole time.</p><p>Snape prowled slowly towards Harry, gaze draping over his fighting body. He placed a calloused finger underneath his chin and tilted it upwards, now wishing the blindfold wasn't in the way of Lily's eyes. Harry squirmed under his touch and Snape smirked.</p><p>-+-</p><p>Severus Snape is convinced Harry Potter needs protecting, - so much so that he kidnaps him to his secluded island home and won't let him go.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had to reupload this because the first time I accidentally added it to a collection that was inactive and it became a mystery work which I was very confused about since this is my first time writing on A03 so I'm just not going to mess around with buttons I don't understand haha</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry Potter's head fucking hurt. It was resting on something that made him wish he was back on the stone hard floor of his childhood cupboard and he, for the life of him, could not place what it was. He tried to think back to last night, grasping at any memory, any explanation for where he was but it all came up blank. His eyes felt thick and heavy and were sealed shut by a long sleep; when he peeled them open he felt his eyelashes touch something and could only see black so he tried to reach his hands up to move whatever was in front of his eyes but-</p><p>The rattling of metal around his wrists, the covering in front of his eyes, the blurry memories - it hit him like a firebolt.</p><p>Harry Potter had been kidnapped.</p><p>Lashing out around him, he writhed his body in an attempt to get out of the hold of the chains. When he felt himself tiring out, he realised he needed to stop and think clearly. He had no memory of the previous night, only that he had been at the Order's headquarters; he was sitting propped up against a hard, rough wall to which his hands were chained. With controlled breaths, he tried to calm himself down and look back at his auror training but something was fogging up his mind. Harry tried listening, to see if he could hear any breathing or footsteps in the room but all he could hear was the rattling of his chains.</p><p>Since Voldemort had been defeated, Harry hadn't realised there were people out there with a grudge against him. Sure, there were the occasional Death Eater sympathisers out there but none were too vocal about it. H could not think of anybody who would want to kidnap him.</p><p>Leaning against the wall opposite his captive, Severus Snape watched intently to see his next move. It had taken him longer than expected to realise something was amiss but once he had, Snape had delighted in watching the unfolding events. He seemed to have tired himself out though, so the moment the ex-potions professor had been dreaming of had finally come.</p><p>"Harry, Harry, Harry..."</p><p>He said, whispering slightly knowing that his prey would be holding on to his every word.</p><p>"What are we going to do with you?"</p><p>Harry stared straight ahead, trying to hide his surprise at hearing his old professor's voice. He did not want to let on his momentary weakness.</p><p>"You know, you really should listen to that old bat weasley when she tells you not to go out wandering at night. Who knows what could have happened to you if I hadn't found you."</p><p>Harry did not say a word. He thought Snape was on their side, but turns out he'd been fighting for himself the whole time.</p><p>Snape prowled slowly towards Harry, gaze draping over his fighting body. He placed a calloused finger underneath his chin and tilted it upwards, now wishing the blindfold wasn't in the way of Lily's eyes. Harry squirmed under his touch and Snape smirked.</p><p>He peeled off the blindfold, delicately lifting it from the younger man's face to reveal those brilliant green eyes glaring up at him. He would have to fix that attitude. Dropping the blindfold onto the floor, he took a moment to rake his eyes over Harry's face. He hadn't seen him in person since the battle of Hogwarts had been won and the boy surely had changed a lot, so much so that he could barely be considered a boy. His jawline had sharpened and was bordered by stubble, his brown skin, which was framed by a somehow messier mop of black hair, had a healthier glow to it now that he wasn't being plagued by a mass murderer.</p><p>His eyes were still the same though - beaming beacons guiding him to the one he was destined to be with.</p><p>Harry watched as Snape's gaze violated him. It felt too intimate to be this close, to have usually stony eyes soften as they looked at him. He didn't want to show how affected he was, though, so he sat still, sat silently.</p><p>Meeting those eyes once more, Snape whispered, "I saved you. You were alone - it was so dangerous! I had to... I had to bring you here to keep you safe." Snape reached out and clasped onto Harry's arms as he said this, desperately holding onto him.</p><p>"I can look after myself, Snape."</p><p>Harry spoke carefully, starting to suspect that Snape was not in his right mind. These words only confirmed it.</p><p>"No. You need me. I will look after you here and I will make sure nobody ever harms you," Though he spoke at a normal volume, the jump from his previous soft whisper made Harry jump. "You don't need to worry anymore, okay? You're safe with me."</p><p>*Safe with me.*</p><p>Harry felt anything but. He nodded though, not wanting another outburst.</p><p>He let Snape brush his thumb over his face and watched as he turned to walk out of the room, realising with a sigh that he would not be getting out of this one easily.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry laid awake trying to figure out the pieces of the puzzle his life had become. Each time he moved the chains grafted against his wrists and the wall behind him grated at the skin on his back. Snape had left the room many hours ago, hours that had been spent wondering what to do next and gazing around the room he'd found himself in to try to find any escape.<br/>It was quite small, had rough, exposed fieldstone walls and had no natural light source. The wooden floor that he sat on had long since made his behind go numb. The door opposite him looked far too sturdy for him and had a peephole; the thought of what was watching on the other side made him shudder.</p><p>Snape paced up and down the kitchen. Now that he had him here, he was unsure what to do next. Sure, he had been planning this for years but it was so overwhelming for it to be finally happening. He knew what he wanted to do but he couldn't - not just yet. If he was honest, Snape was surprised at the boy's reaction - he told him he had saved him! He could at least be grateful of that! Perhaps it was the chains. Admittedly, they weren't the best course of action if he wanted Harry to believe he had been saved but he could make something up. Although he had told himself to leave him to sleep just a little longer, he found himself wandering towards his room.</p><p>The hallway to Harry's room was dark and reassuringly quiet - maybe his charge finally went to sleep? He cracked open the door slowly, peeking into the room delicately. He was not asleep.</p><p>"Good morning."</p><p>Harry did not acknowledge Snape, instead he kept his eyes trained straight ahead.</p><p>Walking carefully towards the young man, he said soothingly, "I know this has been a very big ordeal, dear, so I think you should have something to eat, okay?"</p><p>Losing his focus, Harry looked up at these words. With those doey green eyes staring up at him, Snape almost lost his train of thought but he pulled himself back to what he was doing.</p><p>"I am going to take these chains off of you but I need you to lift your arms up a little, can you do that for me?"</p><p>Confused at Snape's change of character, Harry silently lifted his arms as far as he could to let him unlock them. The older man rubbed his wrists gently then helped him onto his feet, letting his boy lean on him as they trudged slowly out to the kitchen.</p><p>When they got to the table, Snape helped Harry into a chair then turned to the food he had already prepared.</p><p>Harry did not miss his chance.</p><p>He bolted out of the kitchen and down the hall, not knowing where he was going but hoping he'd find the exit somewhere. Snape, who hesitated at first out of shock, did not let Harry get far. For he had much more energy than the one who had been locked up in a room without food or water for hours. He tackled him to the ground and straddled over him, pinning his arms above his head, barely out of breath watching the boy try to catch his. He stared down at him, his soft, gentle nature hidden away, now replaced by the fearful professor persona Harry had once feared.</p><p>Snape clutched Harry's chin and spat, "Do not dare try that again. I will not go easy on you next time - is that clear?"</p><p>Harry tried to wriggle his way out, tried to throw Snape off but he was powerless. Snape pressed down harder on the boy's wrists, bent down and whispered in his ears,</p><p>"You are not going anyway, okay boy? You live here now, so you would do well to let any thought of leaving out of your mind."</p><p>He pushed off of him and stalked back to the kitchen, banging cupboards and slamming down plates as he prepared food for himself, Potter's left abandoned on the side. Harry stared down the hallway in disbelief, he had just been thinking that Snape would be kind to him and he could convince him to let him go when he snapped. If he wanted to get out of this, he was going to have to play along.</p><p> </p><p>Harry did not speak for the rest of the day, instead silently obeying everything Snape told him to do while carefully observing his reactions. Snape watched the boy intently, curious to see if he would attempt another escape or if this morning's ordeal had beaten it out of him; it seemed to be the latter, he thought smugly.</p><p>The day passed uneventfully in the cabin by the lake. Harry lay on the forest green couch staring up at the beams in the ceiling wondering what his life had come to. He traced the beams across the ceiling to the exposed wooden walls which were adorned with obnoxious hunting trophies and green accents. It only took six hours of staring at the same damn ceiling for Harry to crack.</p><p>"Why am I here?"</p><p>He asked, trying to sound strong but the lack of water cracking his voice.</p><p>Snape looked over sharply at his boy, noticing immediately the front he was putting up but pretending not to see it. He paused, took a deep breath and said, "You have made it clear that you are unable to adequately look after yourself and so it is my duty to fulfill that role."</p><p>"I'm not a fucking child!" he exclaimed, jumping out of his seat, "I'm not a first year - I'm an adult now and I can look after myself, thank you very much."</p><p>"Now, now Harry do not get yourself all worked up-"</p><p>"Don't tell me what to do, Snape." Harry stormed out of the room once again, this time knowing exactly where to go after studying the house all day. He made it to the porch and-</p><p>"What the fuck-"</p><p>They were on an island. An empty jetty jutted out of the rocks but apart from that the tiny island was just filled with trees and overgrown plants.</p><p>Watching Harry, Snape leaned against the cabin door, a smirk growing on his face. Harry looked around with growing panic as the realisation set in.</p><p>"Do you understand now? Have I made it through to that thick brain of yours or do you need another reminder?" He stalked towards, Harry, pushing him further and further down the jetty until he was only a step away from the edge. Reaching out to grab the collar of his shirt, he glowered down at him, pausing to let the fear creep in then turned, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him back into the house.</p><p>Harry could not figure him out; one moment he was calm and gentle, the other he was dangerous and intimidating. How was he supposed to live with him if he had to walk on eggshells around him?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The days that followed passed slowly without event. Harry spoke rarely, instead curled himself up in an armchair by the window where he sat watching the days go by, watching the lake and watching the sky as the sun rose and set. He had come to admire the beauty of their surroundings. It was so secluded that nature had been left to its own in a way that it often wasn't; all the plants and animals lived in harmony - the birds flitted back and forth singing to each other, deer lapped peacefully at the shoreline and even the most dangerous of predators seemed to be more peaceful than before.</p><p>The lakes were nothing like London where Harry had been living Hogwarts where everybody protected themselves and never stopped to care for anybody. He had been doing alright though once he had gotten used to the bustle of the city, especially since it was easier to blend in and be a nobody rather than 'The Boy Who Lived'. Harry still could not remember what he had been doing to make Snape want to take him here and it was not like him to go wandering around at night...</p><p>Snape could tell his boy was beginning to grow bored of the cabin, though he knew he would never show it. He had been playing with the idea of taking him outside, to swim in the lake perhaps or maybe just to sit on the porch. It was this he mulled over as he watched him late one afternoon, lying lazily on his favourite armchair watching ripples in the water. A loose hair hung over his eyes and all Snape wanted to do was brush it out of his way.</p><p><em>He looks like a caged animal</em>, Snape thought. There is no way I can just leave him here.</p><p>"Say, Harry, boy, what do you think of going down to the lake for a swim today?"</p><p>Shocked, he snapped his head towards the potions master, mouth gaping open in surprise. It took a moment for him to gather his thoughts, a moment Snape took as a yes who, turning to walk back to his bedroom, called over his shoulder, "Get yourself ready, we will depart before sunset."</p><p>Harry, who had spent the past few days pondering the tiny island they dwelled on scoffed at that. Their 'departure' would consist of a 10 second walk down to the jetty, the furthest point from the house. Nevertheless, he shrugged off the armchair down the hall, wondering what 'getting ready' would entail. He for sure didn't have any swimming trunks but didn't fancy a skinny dip so he changed into some long fabric shorts he had been sleeping in - Snape wasn't one for shopping trips - and looked aimlessly around his room with a sigh.</p><p> </p><p>Their time to leave came quickly; Harry followed his captor out to the jetty, skeptical of what would come. He wasn't sure what he was expecting Snape to wear, but he was only slightly surprised - there he was, still in his robes which was... not entirely unexpected, though he hadn't thought the common room rumours about him were true.</p><p>It was not a night Harry himself would have chosen to go swimming, for a growing breeze nipped at his skin, trapped by the hills and peaks surrounding the lake. The sun was setting ahead of them, but Harry could not stop to admire it as Snape had stopped walking and was now - taking off his robe?</p><p>Letting his robe drop to the floor, Snape dived into the lake with a splash while Harry gawped on, blushing when Snape rose to the surface and shook his hair out of his face.</p><p>Harry was less eager to jump in, instead dipping his toe in lightly, unaware of Snape's taunting stare as he crept towards him, arms reaching up-</p><p>"Wha-!"</p><p>Harry shrieked as he was pulled under the freezing water, arms and legs flailing about as he tried to resurface - not quite as gracefully as his predecessor who pulled him up and sat him on his knee. <em>Of course he could stand up in that lake </em>Harry thought later that night when he thought back on it.</p><p>"Sorry about that..." Snape began</p><p>"Sorry ab-!" Harry splashed him angrily, starting a fight. They splashed about in the lake, neither quite sure how serious they were as they chased each other around.</p><p>Harry braced himself against the pole holding up the jetty, ready to kick off it and splash Snape when he caught his eye -his playful expression was gone, replaced with his usually stony mask; Harry was terrified for a second that he'd done something to bring back the Snape of before and that it would only bring bad news. He let go of the jetty and began to tread water, careful not to make any quick movements. Snape, meanwhile, slowly held up a hand, palm facing Harry as he mouthed a word that made Harry's heart drop:</p><p>
  <em>Run.</em>
</p><p>He hesitated, leaving enough time for a grindylow to attach itself to his leg. He shrieked, thrashing around in the water trying to get it off of him as Snape swam to his help, cursing himself for leaving his wand inside. Blood dispersed in the water as it bit down on the leg he had tried to kick it with. The taller man stood up in the shallows and dragged his charge out of the feisty grip of the grindylow, which hissed when it lost its dinner. With one last tug from its clutch, Snape fell back, Harry landing on him as heaved from the fight. Snape propped himself up, bemused and relieved as Harry shifted on top of him. It took maybe a little too long for Harry to realise who he was sitting on but when he did, he jumped off, so quickly in fact that he nearly toppled over right back into the lake.</p><p>The potions professor leapt up and grabbed Harry around the waist, pulling him closer with a smirk, "You see what I mean? You really can't take care of yourself."</p><p>Harry, as usual, was too stunned to talk and instead blushed furiously, trying in vain to remove himself from Snape's grasp who chuckled, looking down at him waiting for until he tired himself out.</p><p>"You quite alright there?"</p><p>"Fuck off"</p><p>"Tut, tut, Potter..." he exhaled, hoping he would look up at him, "Don't make me punish you."</p><p>That was too far for Harry, who, with an adrenaline fuelled shove, pushed off of him and made his way back up to the cabin in a hurry.</p><p> </p><p>Snape turned with a sigh and looked out over the last slither of sun before it set behind the mountains.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>enjoy &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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